Welcome to the farm!

Kids are just around the corner and that means cuteness overload!

The girls due date is 1/31 so by the time this is posted hopefully cute and adorable pics are soon to follow. Kanaya is expected to have 3-4 and Colette 1-2. It’s always a guessing game even with an ultrasound. Prayers for an uneventful and successful kidding this year. We have had a rough couple of years and lost some kids. Unfortunately when you have livestock you also can have heartbreak.

On CKkc Farm we dam raise the kids and supplement with bottle feeding as needed. After about 4 weeks with the kids nursing off mom, I start to milk share with the kids till weaning. This involves milking am and pm depending on the does production volume and how much the kids are taking in. The priority till the kids are weaned is them getting their fill and then I start to stock pile for soap and lotion production. After weaning, typically between 8-12 weeks depending on the kid, I will freeze the milk collected for production throughout the year. Alpines are large volume producers and I usually get over a gallon a day from each doe during peak production. Hence the separate fridge and deep freezer just for milk! Milking season usually lasts from March to September. At that time I dry the does up and let them have a break. This helps to keep them in good condition and replenishes their body in preparation for the next kidding.

P.S…. still no kids but getting closer, maybe they are holding out for my birthday?